The Smile of the Stranger (29 page)

“Hush, my dear. Walls have ears,” said the Prince, glancing at the remarkable Grinling Gibbons carvings, which did seem particularly generously endowed in this respect.

Lord Egremont now came up with a member of the local gentry who was to be presented to the Prince, and Juliana, much relieved, was able to make another deep curtsy and retire to the side of the room, where Herr Welcker immediately joined her.

She burst out at once, “You are Augustus Arpel—but why did my grandfather not know that you are Count van Welcker?”

“Ah, well, when I was engaged as his aide in the American war, I had not inherited the title, which came from an uncle. And since then we had quite lost touch; I have been out of England a great deal, as you know. Indeed, I was not aware that you were the granddaughter of my old chief; I thought your grandfather was the other General Paget. However, of course, when I received your grandfather
’
s letter—” Juliana blushed, wondering what Sir Horace had said. “When I received a letter informing me that you had vanished, and asking for my help in tracing you—”

She interrupted him. “Grandfather asked for your help? I do not understand?”

“Why,” he said, “in my various missions I am frequently in communication with all kinds of odd folk. Sir Horace thought I might have means of acquiring information—”

“The gypsies!”

He laughed, and said, “The gypsy tribe know no frontiers. What is a war between England and France to them? But it certainly was awkward when, returning from a mission to France to commence the search for you, we were all clapped under hatches for your murder, my dear! I cannot express my relief, Miss Juliana, both at your most obliging intervention and at the discovery that you were not murdered but alive and more delightful than ever.”

He took her hand gently in his own—his clasp, unlike that of the Prince, was warm and firm—and continued, “I am indeed sorry, my poor child, that your suitor turned out so badly. If I had known in London what I learned later, I would never have carried your message to him.”

His kindly face was grave now, and rather somber.

“Oh, Herr Welcker, I was so mistaken in him! I will never, never believe anybody ever again. He was so different when we eloped! And when he kissed me, it was quite horrid! All he wanted was my money, and how I wish I had not got it. It has done nothing but harm. I would like to give it all away.”

Count van Welcker looked much more cheerful at once. “Well,” he said, “you
can
give it away, you know! Nothing obliges you to keep it. If only—”

At that moment a movement in the crowd began. “Oh, dear,” he said. “Prinney is going in to dinner. Do you dine here, Miss Juliana?”

“No, sir, I cried off. I do not feel strong enough for a great dinner. I am going back to the Hermitage.”

“My dear Miss Juliana—might I be permitted to come round and call on you after dinner?”

“Will not His Highness have need of you, sir?”

“His Highness can manage without me very well.”

There was such an anxious, intent look suddenly in his eyes that she found her heart beating faster as she slipped away. It was odd, she thought, to be able to run through the town without fear of being seen or pursued; she could still hardly believe in her freedom. She felt all of a sudden very lighthearted. The streets were empty; the inhabitants of the town were still in the park, making merry.

Berthe and Rosine, however, had remained at the Hermitage; like General Paget, they were not interested in fetes; and they preferred their own cooking to Lord Egremont
’
s feast.

“Mademoiselle looks tired,” said Berthe. “She will be the better for a bowl of good soup. Eh, poor Madame! Doubtless she wishes she were at home too. Did you see the Prince, mademoiselle?”

"Yes, I saw him,” said Juliana. “He was very fat.” Not a bit like Charles the First, she thought. But still, I liked him.

“Mademoiselle laughs,” said Rosine sympathetically. “She has been well amused.”

“Yes, I have!” said Juliana, thinking how difficult it would be to explain that she was laughing because she had suddenly realized what a very dull man Charles the First must have been. Good; but dull.

Some two hours later, Madame Reynard returned, accompanied by Count van Welcker.

“The Count kindly escorted me home,” she said, “lest I should be kidnapped by highwaymen or brigands! And now I am going to my couch, for I am fatigued with a thousand and one civilities. Amuse each other, my children; but do not let this rake of a Count keep you up too long,
chérie
. Rest well, my very dear child; I shall see you in the morning.
Bonsoir!”
She kissed Juliana good night, but turned at the foot of the stairs to say, “I have given you another birthday present, and I have instructed the Count to tell you about it.”

“Is she not a delight? I sat next to her at dinner,” he said, taking Juliana
’
s arm and strolling with her into the garden. “May we walk up and down this grassy alley? Shall you take a chill?”

“Certainly not,” said Juliana. “My feet will get wet, that is
a
ll
.”

The rain clouds had disappeared at sunset, and a wonderful pink afterglow filled the sky. Juliana picked a sprig of honeysuckle blossom and sniffed at it. She said, “Count van Welcker, I am sure I have you to thank for bringing me my father
’
s books? I was so touched, so deeply grateful—”

“Ah, it was nothing,” he quickly replied. “I had to go to France on government affairs—I found a messenger to negotiate—it was a simple matter! Now let me tell you about Madame Reynard
’
s birthday present.
‘
What can one give a girl who has just inherited a fortune?
’
she said, and then she began to laugh and exclaimed,
‘
I have it! I will give her the memory of how she had to play
cache-cache
and run through the underground way! I will give her my house when I return to France!
’
”

“Her
house? This
house? But oh, how can she ever bear to leave it?”

They turned to look at it, standing among its young apple trees, against the pink sky. The valley down below lay hushed, except for the distant bleating of sheep and lambs. But over in Petworth Park the revels were still at their height; voices could be heard singing and shouting; and the occasional crackle of a firework.

“Prinney was just about to give one of his violin recitals,” Count van Welcker said. “I daresay he will be very annoyed when he finds that I slipped away.
How
glad I am to miss it!”

Then he turned toward Juliana, and said, “Miss Paget—I addressed you on this subject once before at your aunt
’
s house. Believe me, I was not then aware of the gold collar round your neck. However, at that time—as in our dear balloon—your thoughts were all directed toward Charles the First. That has not prevented mine toward
you
from growing stronger and more tender with eve
r
y passing week. Dare I inquire whether Charles the First has now suffered an eclipse
—
whether there can be any possibility of your sentiments having undergone a change? I am quite wealthy (as you may not know), I can support you in modest comfort, and, if you wish, we can consign all your fortune to the devil
...
Do you find yourself able to give me an answer, dear Miss Juliana?”

He took both her hands, looking steadily into her face, and moved toward her as she looked up at him, smiling.

“—Oh, but please don
’
t go down upon one knee again,” cried Juliana. “The grass is
so
wet
!
”

“I was not going to go down upon one knee,” replied Count van Welcker. “It is odds but you
’
ve left a needle sticking somewhere in that grass
!
I was going to take you in my arms.”

“How very odd,” remarked Juliana, some time later. “When Captain Davenport kissed me I did not like it at all.”

“But this is differen
t,
hmm?”

“No, that is what is s
t
range. It is
not
so different—and yet now, after all, I find that I do quite like it!”